By Mary Sanford McClure

Attention Dallas: A high-end consignment boutique recently opened in Snider Plaza and is just waiting for fabulous and fashionable shoppers. But Luxury Garage Sale (LGS) has a history beyond its Snider Plaza storefront.

Best friends Brielle Buchberg and Lindsay Segal opened LGS in a roundabout way in 2012. Buchberg began selling her grandparents’ furniture and accessories on eBay. When her grandparents’ friends heard of her success, they enlisted her help. She then recruited Segal, and they began a business in 2009 that led to the beginning of Luxury Garage Sale.

As many Dallas natives and newbies know, there are quite a few luxury consignment stores here, yet the LGS team would agree that their boutique differs from the others. Kobb stated that from a consignment standpoint, their inventory is a curated collection, they offer white-glove service, and maintain personal relationships with their clients. They reach a vast number of people through eBay, an online boutique, and storefronts.

Their retail space also sets LGS apart. Shoppers don’t feel like they’re in just another consignment store packed wall to wall with racks upon racks of clothing, said Andra Chapman, assistant store manager. Pieces are displayed as if they were hanging in the Chanel boutique itself.

Now with consigners all over the world, around 40 employees organizing, photographing and shipping consignment pieces from a Chicago warehouse, and a storefront retail boutique in Chicago, the best friends’ next move was further expansion – Dallas.

LGS was led to Dallas not only because of the quality retailers present, but also for the potential to grow significantly in such an established area. Luxury Garage Sale hosted a few pop-up shops last spring and finally opened its doors in Snider Plaza in June. With school back in session, customers are rolling in said Emmi Kobb, LGS’s consigner relations manager.

Kobb said there are benefits of consignment that give them an advantage over designer retail boutiques. She explained how consignment shopping allows shoppers to fill the holes in their closet as well as “renew, reuse, recycle.” Many consigners and consignment shoppers alike believe this way of retail is eco-friendly. Clients consign their own pieces in exchange for money they can put toward something they loved seasons back. Once consigned, items that were not affordable at original retail price have become more attainable to the public.

To maintain the caliber of pieces in the store, the Luxury Garage Sale team must seek out new clients. LGS attracts clients through many different outlets including community outreach and networking, organic walk-ins, and referrals. Whether the LGS team is attending fashion shows or charity luncheons, they meet women and men that maintain a collection of luxury items and who are often willing to part with select pieces to make room for the new.

Kobb maintains client relations with weekly emails and phone calls to keep her clients up-to-date on their pieces. LGS makes the process easy and comfortable for every client through home visits, prepaid shipping labels for out of town clients and customers, and risk-free pricing. No piece is ever sold at a price without the client’s consent. Personal relationships are formed and preserved by entering clients’ homes and speaking with them on a weekly basis.

LGS doesn’t just take any designer item to be consigned. The pieces they take must make a statement on their own. They accept standout pieces, not a basic in someone’s wardrobe. Kobb explained how each consigned item is in great condition, relevant or vintage, and well-made. They accept couture runway garments from designers like Helmut Lang. Clients are sometimes lucky enough to score a brand new item with tags.

LGS’s close proximity to SMU allows students who enjoy designer things to sell their luxury handbags and accessories just like they sell back their textbooks.

Chapman said that the SMU students keep the area energized. With no specific target age group, LGS attracts shoppers with their varying price points, from a $75 bangle to an $11,000 Hermes Birkin bag. Both a 25-year-old and an 85-year-old can wear Chanel suiting. The ladies of the university can get a specific look without breaking the bank according to Chapman, and shopping consignment is a great way to build a collection.

Chapman explained that often their clients think of consigning as their “fun money,” extra cash that they can spend on another standout piece. Most consignment shoppers love the thrill of the hunt and the joy of finding something unexpected. Both consigners and shoppers are surprised at the caliber of merchandise that LGS maintains.